An Atlantic man who, for years, served as a Scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts, was recognized Tuesday evening during the unveiling in the Atlantic City Park, of a wooden park bench bearing his name and likeness. Former Scouts from Troop 60 and others were on-hand for the ceremony honoring Bob Bebensee.

Bob and Dee Bebensee (Front) and the former Scouts who honored him.

Don Linke, Carl Voss, Tom Olmstead and Steven Hoegh who were Boy Scouts that also became Eagle Scouts, spoke about the bench and how the idea came about to honor Bebensee. Linke flew –in for the event from Atlanta, GA. Olmstead came from New Mexico, Steve Hoegh came from Clarinda, and Voss from Des Moines. Other former Scouts from Alaska and Georgia who were unable to attend, provided letters reminiscing about their experiences.

Voss said a trip around Atlantic with Atlantic Parks and Rec Director Roger Herring helped to narrow down the location for the bench. The bench, located on the northeast side of the park, near Santa’s cabin, includes a caricature of Bebensee created by cartoonist Brian Duffy and etched into the backrest, along with the carving of a square knot with the inscription says ‘Bob Bebensee, Troop 60 Scoutmaster, 1960-1964’. Bob tied the knot that kept us together through scouting’.

Voss said the bench was made in Seattle, WA. He said also, Roger Herring was in on the surprise from the beginning, and somehow the secret was kept until the bench unveiling Tuesday evening.

Don Linke said Bob provided him and the others an opportunity to learn and live by the Boy Scout motto. Bob Bebensee said he was floored when he saw the bench with his name on it. He said his memories of being a Scoutmaster in the late ‘50’s and early ‘60’s came flooding back. He said he was pleased to see the boys become successful men in life.

You can hear the full interview with Bob and the others on the “Heartbeat Today” link under the “Programs” tab at kjan.com.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – Workers are dredging in Council Bluffs’ Lake Manawa for the first time in decades as part of an effort to improve its water clarity and eliminate algae blooms. The Daily Nonpareil reports a dredging barge is slowly making its way across the 715-acre lake, removing sand from the lake bottom. Crews are concentrating on a 60-acre area, where they want to increase depths to a maximum of 16 feet deep.

The lake now has a maximum depth of 12 feet with large areas only 6 or 7 feet deep. It’s the first dredging of Lake Manawa since 1982. The work will cost $4.2 million, paid from a statewide lake restoration fund. The company doing the work plans to remove 500,000 cubic yards of sand from the lake bottom.

The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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Police in Red Oak say a local teen was arrested Tuesday night for Harassment in the 3rd degree. 17-year old Michael Wade Hamilton, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 10:30-p.m. in association with an incident that occurred earlier. Hamilton was referred to Juvenile Authorities, cited, and then released to his mother.

An investigation into the passing of bad checks in Montgomery County and at businesses in Red Oak, has resulted in the arrest of two people. Sheriff’s officials say at around 2:20-p.m. Tuesday, deputies arrested 20-year old Kelsi Jean Vannausdle, of Villisca, on seven counts of Forgery. Also arrested and charged in connection with the same investigation, was 22-year old Eldemar Reinoso, of the Dominican Republic, who was residing in Villisca. He faces a single charge of Forgery. The pair was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $5,000 bond, each. Red Oak Police assisted in conducting the joint check forgery investigation.

A woman walking northbound in a crosswalk at the 35^th and W. Broadway Streets in Council Bluffs was struck by a westbound truck Tuesday night, and critically injured. Bluffs Police say the accident happened at around 10-p.m. The unidentified female was transported to Creighton Medical Center. The accident remains under investigation.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A fourth-floor water fountain apparently ran nonstop over the weekend and damaged floors, walls and equipment in the Pottawattamie County Courthouse in Council Bluffs. The Daily Nonpareil reports the leaky fountain was discovered Sunday morning, but by that time water had seeped through much of the courthouse. On Monday, crews spread through the building, drying floors, tearing down parts of walls and cleaning up ceiling tiles that fell onto equipment. A damage estimate wasn’t available.

ROCK RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Environmental specialists in Iowa are determining the effects of a semitrailer crash in the northwestern corner of the state that spilled herbicide and soybean oil into a ditch. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the crash happened Tuesday morning near Highway 9 about six miles west of Rock Rapids. Officials say soybean herbicide, 150 gallons of soybean oil and 5,000 gallons of water reached the ditch and ran into an unnamed tributary of Mud Creek and Rock River.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Linn County Supervisors have appointed a group of business leaders and workers to study the pros and cons of increasing the minimum wage. KCRG-TV reports that supervisors had expected the group to take up to six months to conduct their analysis, but members voted last week after three meetings to recommend increasing the county’s minimum wage to $8.25 an hour. Supervisors discussed the proposal Monday.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Mason City man has been sentenced to up to 10 years in prison for third-degree sexual abuse involving a 14-year-old girl. The Globe Gazette reports that 30-year-old Brent Champney pleaded guilty in April to the charge. He was accused of having sex with an underage girl.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The director of the Iowa chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union hired just last year has abruptly resigned. The Des Moines Register reports that Jeremy Rosen announced his resignation late Monday, calling it “difficult news.” Rosen’s last day is Thursday. He was hired in January 2015 to replace Ben Stone, who had served as ACLU of Iowa’s director for 18 years until July 2014.

(Red Oak, IA – (June 28, 2016) First Responders in Montgomery County are now some of the best-equipped in the nation to save a pet’s life. That’s because Invisible Fence of the Heartland has donated six pet oxygen mask kits to Montgomery County Emergency Management. The donation is just a small part of Invisible Fence® Brand’s Project Breathe™ program, which was established with the goal of equipping every fire station in America and Canada with pet oxygen masks.

Shelly Jenkins with Invisible Fence® Brand of the Heartland presents the pet oxygen masks to Montgomery County Emergency Management Director Brian Hamman, Red Oak Fire Chief John Bruce and Grant Fire Chief Greg Vetter. (Photo’s courtesy Brian Hamman/Montgomery County EMA)

The masks allow firefighters and EMS staff to give oxygen to pets who are suffering from smoke inhalation when they are rescued from fires and often save pets’ lives.
Invisible Fence® Brand has donated a total of more than 12,400 pet oxygen masks to fire stations all over the U.S. and Canada throughout the life of the program. A reported 150+ pets have been saved by the donated masks so far, including two kittens saved by the Salt Lake City Fire Department in March.

Ed Hoyt, Director of Invisible Fence® Brand, said “When a family suffers the tragedy of a fire, lives are turned upside down. Pets are valued family members, so we want families to know that their pet can be cared for if tragedy strikes. We realize that humans are the first priority, but in many cases, pets can be saved if firefighters have the right equipment. The ‘Project Breathe’™ program is simply a way of giving firefighters the tools necessary to save pets’ lives.”

Shelly Jenkins gives a presentation on how to use the pet oxygen mask on her dog to area first responders.

The Red Oak area is now joining the ranks of cities like Seattle, Chicago, Denver, and Salt Lake City who have all received donated pet oxygen masks from Project Breathe™ program. Although the number of pets that die in fires is not an official statistic kept by the U.S. Fire Administration, industry web sites and sources have cited an estimated 40,000 to 150,000 pets die in fires each year, most succumbing to smoke inhalation.

In most states, emergency responders are unequipped to deal with the crisis. The loss is terrible for the family, heart wrenching for firefighters. The company has set up a website, www.invisiblefence.com/O2, where local fire personnel can make a request for their own departments.